CHAPTER I 



THE LIFE HISTORY OF A TREE 



SYLVICULTURE means the cultivation of trees in masses such 

 as are found in woods or forests, and is not the same as arbori- 

 culture, which means the cultivation of single trees as they 

 occur in parks and gardens. The object of arboriculture is 

 usually to produce a beautiful tree which will be an ornament 

 to the place where it grows. The object of forestry or sylvi- 

 culture is usually to produce the largest amount of the best 

 quality of timber which it is possible to grow on a given area 

 of land. 



Before commencing the study of forestry it is necessary to 

 know something about the life history of the trees which 

 make up the forest. A tree is a woody plant growing up 

 from the ground usually with a single stem. It consists of 

 three parts. First, the Root, which grows downwards into the 

 earth to a depth of three or four feet, and binds the tree to 

 the soil ; it takes in water and certain mineral matters which 

 are dissolved in it, and which are needed by the tree in its 

 growth. Second, the Stem, Trunk^ or Bole, which supports 

 the crown, and through which the water and its dissolved 

 matters go up from the roots to the leaves. Third, the 

 Crown, consisting of branches, twigs, buds, leaves, and flowers. 

 In the leaves all the food material is worked up and, as it were, 

 digested. 



The bole is the most important part to the woodman, as 

 almost the whole value lies in this part of the tree ; neverthe- 

 less to get the bole into a proper shape the woodman devotes 

 most of his attention to the crown, because its size and shape 



